Self Improvement – 7 Days to a "Better YOU"

More often than not, TV stars are being portrayed as these perfect people that have no flaws and are living a glamorous fairytale life with no concerns of money or anything else for that matter. I think the time is way overdue for us to stop living in a fantasy world and start living in reality. Self Improvement should not be based on what or who we see on our favorite TV show and as a matter of fact, I think much of TV today is actually teaching bad values and not the ones that are going to make you a better person. Just some food for thought!

It is so easy to lose our self esteem today and perhaps more so than ever. We really have to take a step back and keep in mind that regardless of what may be happening in our lives, we should never lose our sense of self because that is absolutely invaluable.

You may be asking yourself, what does it take to be above the masses? Below is a list that should help answer this very important question. Take some time each day over the next week and write down the answers to these questions. You will be amazed at how much this exercise will help!

1. Understand your purpose in life! Are you going along in your life hoping things will get better and health, happiness and riches are going to magically appear in front of your with little to no effort on your part? Take the time to identify what your primary purpose in life is based on your core values and work towards this purpose and values.

This may sound like a large undertaking but trust me when I say, when you can clarify these things, everything will fall into place so much easier than without. It can sometimes be this clarity that sets you off in a path to the life you have only dreamed of up until now!

2. Know your values What things do you value the most in life? Take a little bit of time to write down what you consider to be your Top 5 or 6 values. These values can be anything from financial freedom, family, and health, the respect of your peers or even spiritual development. Be sure when setting your goals for 2011 to check them and make sure they correspond with your core values. If this isn’t the case, you really want to take a step back and re-evaluate your goals to make sure they coincide with your values.

The magnitude and number of goals you come up with should certainly not deter you but should give you a new found motivation to hit the ground running in order to start achieving your life dream.

3. Understand your needs!Without fulfilling your needs, you cheat yourself for living a life of authenticity. You first must take care of yourself before anything or anyone else. Your needs can be the need to be respected, to be loved, to be acknowledged by your loved ones just to name a few. Far too may people today wonder about in their lives never knowing what their dreams are, let along accomplishing them and this can wind up leaving you stressed out and perhaps even put you into a deep state of depressions. Before it is too late, list your top 3-5 needs so you at least have a better idea of where to start.

4. What are your Passions? Only you understand who you are and what things make you happy in life. Doubt in yourself and lack of enthusiasm can only act as obstacles but never let them take you off the path towards being the person you truly want to be. Look around you and ask yourself who inspires you and begin expressing yourself in a way that put you closer to being like those who inspire you.

5. Live from the inside out Make it a ritual to reflect and become more aware of your inner thoughts, the thoughts that promote who you want to be. Be one with nature. A great way to quiet your troubled mind is to breathe deeply. Many of us are so caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day life, that we find it difficult to be at peace even in our own homes. I find it to be beneficial to sit in a dark room with no noise unless you find music soothing to help calm your mind. Music has been inspirational for many to help them soothe their mind and think more clearly.

6. Know what your strengths are and honor them!Everyone has some positive traits and special talents that are unique to themselves. What special talents do you have? Think hard and list 3 of your strengths and if this seems difficult, ask those closest to you and they may surprise you with some great answers that you may not have thought of on your own. You may be innovative, funny or good with your hands for example. If you can express who you are through your strengths instead of focusing on your weaknesses, this will go a long way in your life. You can increase your self-confidence when you can share what you know with others.

7. Take the time to help others. When you go out of your way to help others, you will find that you establish an interconnected sense of well being. Living for a specific purpose and staying true to who you are along with sharing this with others, puts you in an incredible position to share your spirit and your very essence. Sharing your strengths with those closest to you will of course be very rewarding. This rewarding feeling can be multiplied when sharing with a complete stranger who has a genuine appreciation for what you have given them.

When all is said and done with, self improvement is ultimately a very rewarding experience. You should not restrict it to common place areas such as work and home only but broaden your horizons and share it outside of these every day places. The ability to improve ourselves lies within ourselves and just how much effort we are willing to put into the process. How bad do you want a better life is the question? If you truly want it, you will put the necessary effort into achieving it.